Wheel mounting for conveyor



Aug. 21, 1956 Y L. T. DAIG LE 2,759,592

WHEEL MOUNTING FOR CONVEYOR Filed Feb. 24. 1955 HVVENTDR. LEO T. DAIGLEATToRNEY United States Patent O WHEEL MOUNTING FOR CONVEYOR Leo T.Daigle, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Dearborn Fabricating & EngineeringCompany, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February24, 1953, Serial No. 338,251

2 Claims. (Cl. 198-177) This invention relates to'conveyors and moreparticularly to a novel conveyor construction including trolley wheelsadapted to movably support the conveyor along the flange of a supportingI beam.

Heretofore in conveyor constructions of this type, if a wheel becomesdamaged and must be replaced, it has been necessary to stop the conveyorand disconnect the same from the cable in order that the wheel could bereplaced.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel supportingwheel mounting for the conveyor mechanism, whereby a wheel may bereplaced without disconnecting the entire conveyor mechanism of thatparticular wheel.

It is the further object of this invention to provide a simplified wheelmounting whereby the wheel maybe quickly disengaged from the conveyormechanism and replaced.

These and other objects will be seen fromthe following specification andclaims in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the present conveyor mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a right end elevational view thereof with the I beam shown incross section.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3- -3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line'4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5a is a fragmentary section taken on line 5a--5a of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a variation in thepresent wheel mounting for a conveyor.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely apreferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments arecontemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

The present invention pertains to a conveyor mechanism adapted to bemovably suspended from I beam 11 having supporting tapered flanges 12.The conveyor body includes a pair of straight opposed brackets 13 and 14whose upper portions include the upwardly and inwardly inclined arms 15terminating in the wheel mounting heads 16, as shown in Fig. 2. Head 16includes a transverse bore 17 adapted to receive wheel mounting studshaft 19, which is threaded throughout its length.

The bore 17 terminates in the outwardly and downwardly extending slot 18whereby the shaft 19 may be downwardly withdrawn from head 16 upon aloosening of the nut 29 in the manner hereafter described.

Support 20 upon which the wheel 21 is mounted and journaled is adaptedto threadedly receive and have secured thereto shaft 19, said shaftbeing hollow and having a suitable apertured grease fitting 22 upon itsouter end.

The heads 16 have formed therein upon their opposite upright sidesurfaces a pair of diametrically opposed circular recesses 23 on oneside and 24 on its opposite side as designated in Figs. 4 and 5.

2,759,592 Patented Aug. 21, 1956 Washers 25 and 27 are looselypositioned in spaced relation upon the shaft 19, and these washers haveformed outwardly projecting diametrically opposed dimples 26 and 28 orupsets, which are to be cooperatively received within thecorrespondingly opposed recesses 23 and 24 in the opposite side walls ofhead 16.

Preferably, a lock washer 29' is also positioned loosely upon the shaft19 upon the outside of washer 25, and with the washers 25 and 27properly positioned, the nut 29 is tightened to thereby complete themounting for the wheels 21 which are supportably positioned upon theopposed flanges 12 of I beam 11. The Washers 25 and 27 provideadditional support for the stud shaft 19 counteracting the effect of theangular shaft receiving slot 18 which registers with the bore 17.

Inasmuch as the thrust is downward, it is apparent that there issufiicient supporting engagement of the shaft 19 by the head 16.

Each of the brackets 13 and 14 have formed intermediate their ends theoppositely directed laterally extending half circular lugs 30 and 31respectively having a tapered thread 32 upon their exterior surface, andwith said half circular lugs having central half circular channels 33and 34 adapted to cooperatively receive a pair of axiallyregisteringcable elements A and B to be spliced together by the presentconveyor mechanism.

The registering ends of said cable elements have cylindrical formations36 and 36 thereon which may be an integral part of said cable elements,or may be suitably secured thereon. Said cylindrical elements 36 and 36are adapted to be cooperatively received within the half cylindricalrecess 35' formed within each of the bracket elements 13 and 14, whichwhen assembled together as in Fig. 2, provide a cylindrical recess tocooperatively and retainingly receive the cable ends 36' and 36.

It is contemplated that the semi-cylindrical recesses 35 are of agreater diameter than the half circular recesses 33 and 34 therebydefining the retaining shoulders to secure the cable ends 36 and 36within the assembled brackets 13 and 14.

When so assembled, said bracket elements are secured together by thetapered nuts 37 which threadedly engage the tapered lugs formed by theopposed registering half circular latter extensions 30 and 31 of saidbrackets.

Upon the interior of each of the half circular lug elements 30 and 31are formed a plurality of dimples 38 or other abrasions adapted forincreased frictional cooperation with cable elements A and B.

It will be noted also that each of the brackets 13 and 14 have for-medtherein below the half cylindrical recesses 35 a circular dimple 39 anda laterally spaced circular projection 40 adapted for cooperation with asimilarly formed recess and spaced dimple in the other bracket element,facilitating assembly thereof.

The bracket elements 13 and 14 terminate at their lower ends in thedepending load supporting hangers 41 arranged in spaced relation, andwhich are transversely apertured at 42 to facilitate securing of a loadthereto.

As shown in Fig. 2, the interior portions of the brackets 13 and 14 havethe upright guide Walls 43 formed therein adapted for cooperation withthe rollers 44 which are arranged upon a vertical axis and depend fromthe shafts 46 secured to the mounting plate 47 upon the undersurfacc ofI beam 11.

This formation 43 within the brackets 13 and 14 is particularly usefulin acting as a guide for the conveyor when travelling around curves orwherever there is a change in direction of the supporting beam. Therollers 43 would be arranged at longitudinally spaced intervals only atthe curved portions of said beam or at turns therein.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a slight variation in the mounting structurefor the conveyor supporting wheel 48, which is journaled to the support49 with internal thread 50.

The outer upright surface of wheel support 49 has a pair ofdiametrically opposed dimples 51 formed therein adapted to becooperatively received within corresponding diametrically opposedcircular recesses 53 in the inner side wall of the wheel supporting head52 of a bracket element, which is fragmentarily shown.

This bracket element is the same as bracket element 13 above described,except that it has a continuous transverse aperture 56 through whichextends the threaded shank of the securing bolt 54 with a suitablewasher 55 interposed between the bolt head 54 and the body 52.

When the bolt 54 is threaded into wheel support 49, and the projections51 register within recesses 53, the wheel 48 will be properly securedwith respect to the bracket head 52.

In the event of a break down of the wheel or its support, the wheel maybe removed merely by loosening the bolt 54 from the wheel support 49 andwithdrawing of said bolt sufiiciently to permit the manual removal ofwheel 48 and its support 49.

While the circular recesses 23 and 24 are shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, andrecess 53 in Fig. 6, adapted to cooperatively receive similarly formeddimples 26, 28 and 51 respectively, nevertheless it is contemplated as apart of the present invention that any other structure could be employedwhich will frictionally and immovably retain the washers 25 and 26 withrespect to the head 16, and which would immovably retain the wheelmounting 49 with respect to the bracket head 52. For example, the conesponding surfaces could be abraided in such fashion that upon tighteningof the nuts 29 or the bolts 54, the parts would be immovably securedwith respect to each other.

The above specification has now set forth a very simplified mountingdevice for the supporting wheels of a conveyor mechanism, whereby saidwheels may be inter changed and exchanged without disassembling theconveyor mechanism and without the heretofore costly delays wherecomplete disassembly was required.

While the specification refers to a cable or cable elements, it iscontemplated that the present invention is just as well adapted to achain, rod, or other longitudinally movable means.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the claimswhich follow for determining the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. In a conveyor movable along a horizontal I-beam, a pair of opposedupright bracket elements upon opposite sides of said I-beam, adapted forconnection to portions of a longitudinally moveable cable, separateinwardly directed transverse shafts at the upper ends of said bracketelements at opposite sides of the l-beam, a roller assembly journaledupon the inner end of each shaft and riding upon the flanges on opopsitesides of said I-beam, each of said bracket elements being transverselyapertured at its upper end and with said aperture terminating on oneside in an outwardly extending lateral slot permitting insertion of aroller mounting shaft into the transverse aperture of said bracket,spaced washers loosely mounted on each shaft bearing against oppositesides of the corresponding bracket element at opposite ends of itsaperture and slot, cooperating means on the washer and bracket toprevent relative movements thereof, and a fastener secured upon saidshaft operatively maintaining and securing said washers against saidbracket element for securing said shaft and roller assembly thereonwhereby, upon loosening said fastener, a single roller assembly may beremoved from its bracket element without disengaging said bracketelements from said cable and without interfering with the other rollerassembly.

2. In a conveyor movable along a horizontal I-beam, a pair of opposedupright bracket elements upon opposite sides of said I-beam, adapted forconnection to portions of a longitudinally movable cable, separateinwardly directed transverse shafts at the upper ends of said bracketelements at opposite sides of the I-beam, a roller assembly journalledupon the inner end of each shaft and riding upon the flanges on oppositesides of said I-beam, each of said bracket elements being transverselyapertured at its upper end and with said aperture terminating on oneside in an outwardly extending lateral slot permitting insertion of aroller mounting shaft into the transverse aperture of said bracket, awasher mounted on each shaft bearing against the corresponding bracketelement and held against relative movement, and a fastener secured uponsaid shaft operatively maintaining and securing said washer against saidbracket element for securing said shaft and roller assembly thereonwhereby, upon loosening said fastener, a single roller assembly may beremoved from its bracket element without disengaging said bracketelements from said cable and without interfering with the other rollerassembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,406,423 Smith Feb. 14, 1922 1,428,552 Mullern Sept. 12, 1922 1,652,009Hoffmaster Dec. 6, 1927 1,720,690 Preble July 16, 1929 1,810,578Schirmer June 16, 1931 1,944,713 Koons Jan. 23, 1934 2,101,951 McInnisDec. 14, 1937 2,283,359 Gaboury May 19, 1942 2,333,867 Kucho Nov. 9,1943 2,372,199 Hassler Mar. 27, 1945 2,490,682 Freeman Dec. 6, 19492,517,652 Gaboury Aug. 8, 1950 2,633,226 Vogt Mar. 31, 1953 2,646,872Daigle July 28, 1953

